Summit reads up on water

Special to the Daily
The book "Blue Revolution: Unmaking America's Water Crisis" will be the topic of a book discussion at The Next Page bookstore in Frisco on Tuesday. The book is part of Summit Reads, a countywide reading intiative.

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As part of the Summit Reads Proj-

ect, The Next Page bookstore in Frisco will host a discussion of "Blue Revolution: Unmaking America's Water Crisis" on Tuesday.

The book, written by Cynthia Barnett, is the focus of a countywide reading initiative and explores the topic of water management and the importance of using water responsibly. Nancy Karklins, bookseller and regular discussion leader at The Next Page, will lead the conversation.

"The main thrust is developing a water ethic, much like we have done with recycling and littering," Karklins said of "Blue Revolution." "We have a responsibility to take care of the environment. ... It's about taking care of our water, which we all need; we can't live without air, and we can't live without water."

Karklins said she's not an expert on the subject matter of the book, but she read it and it raised her curiosity about the topic of water.

"It was a real eye-opener for me," she said. "I don't have the answers, but I have good questions. Cynthia has both. I hope to learn a lot from the group. People will bring up issues that even she hasn't included."

The format of a book discussion allows for a free flow of information without the fear of insulting the author or one another, Karklins said.

"They didn't write the book; we didn't write the book," she said. "These people aren't social friends, so they share real ideas and critiques."

Karklins was initially worried that local readers wouldn't have an interest in reading a book about water, but she praised "Blue Revolution" for its treatment of what could have been a tedious topic.

"Her writing is so good," Karklins said of Barnett. "It keeps your attention."

Protecting our water

Karklins said when she first started reading the book, she began talking to people in the community, asking if they were worried about their water.

"Summit County is proactive in protecting our water resources," she said. "I didn't realize that we had a water task force, a sustainability task force made up of local leaders and members of the community. It was very educational to me personally."

Establishing a water ethic in our community really begins in the schools, teaching children the value of protecting our water resources, Karklins said. She said it's a local responsibility that starts with each individual making a commitment to properly manage his or her water use, and the book is a catalyst for starting a water revolution.

"At this first book discussion, I want to focus on what participants think can happen," she said. "How can we inform and teach our children and be role models, which we haven't been good at doing."